Local News
Award winning architect Ed Calnitsky adds Theology degree to resumé

By MYRON LOVE Ed Calnitsky has recently added a notable entry to his resumé. At an age when most individuals—myself excluded—are contemplating retirement, the accomplished architect chose to return part-time to university and pursue studies in theology. About a year ago, he graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a Master of Arts in Theology and was honored with the Gawthrop Prize for achieving the highest grade point average in Theology at the University’s United Centre for Theological Studies.
Calnitsky, a graduate of the former Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate, is only one of a select few of our Jewish community to earn an MA in Theology from the University of Winnipeg.
Calnitsky has been an architect for more than 30 years, and we have been friends since high school. In the fall of 1971, the two of us—along with a mutual friend—embarked on a trip to Europe. In London, our first stop, he secured a position with a British architectural firm, where he worked for three months. Afterwards, he traveled to Israel, where an opportunity arose to work for a leading architectural firm in Caracas, Venezuela. Calnitsky spent the subsequent summer working in Caracas for that company. “Working for architectural firms in both London, England and Caracas gave me the opportunity to understand how architecture is practiced in different countries,” he recalls.
Upon returning to Canada, he was hired to teach design at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. After three years, he returned to Winnipeg, where he met Linda, his future wife, and decided to return to university to earn a degree in architecture.
In 1986, he established Calnitsky Associates Architects Inc., a multidisciplinary architectural and interior design firm, focusing on commercial and institutional projects across Canada and in the United States.
Some of Calnitsky’s most prestigious projects have included the Canadian Embassy Reconfiguration in Kyiv, Ukraine and the Canadian High Commissioner’s Residence and CIDA Offices in Bridgetown, Barbados. Other notable projects include the new Gillam Town Centre with PSA Studio Inc. – which received a Canadian Architect Award; the Manitoba Law Courts Building renovation involving the restoration of all courtrooms and judge’s chambers; and a major retrofit and upgrade to Assiniboine Park Pavilion in Winnipeg.
Notably, Calnitsky was also the architect for the new Congregation Etz Chayim Synagogue on Wilkes Avenue. Working together with lead architect Carlos Schor and interior designers Bernice Chorney and Frances Winograd, they converted the former Khartum Shriners Temple into a beautifully functioning synagogue. Calnitsky notes that “I’ve never been a solo practitioner, I’ve always sought out a group. Designing the new Etz Chayim Synagogue epitomizes this approach.”
Among his clients are an increasing number of church groups, and in this regard, Calnitsky was recently invited by Ruth Ashrafi to speak to this aspect of his practice in a presentation to Winnipeg’s Catholic-Jewish Dialogue Group. The presentation was appropriately titled “Lessons from a Jewish Architect Designing Churches.”
“I designed my first church about 20 years ago for a Christian Reformed Church congregation in Northwestern Ontario,” Calnitsky recalls. “I had to design it from scratch and knew virtually nothing about Christianity or Church architecture.”
Determined to educate himself, he began researching these subjects and found his interest deepening. “I gained valuable insights into the relationship of Christian theology and church architecture. Church architecture is a reflection of Christian theology, and its understanding is integral to the design.”
Currently, Calnitsky is working on churches in Winnipeg for Coptic Christian, Ethiopian, Nigerian, and Eritrean congregations—the latter involving renovations to the former Rosh Pina/Congregation Etz Chayim building on Matheson Avenue.
What surprised him most, Calnitsky notes, is the significant influence of Judaism on Christian theology, as well as the historical animosity that Christianity has often held towards Judaism. He points to an example of this hostility in the placement of stained glass windows within churches. As worship is oriented east to the altar, stained glass windows are typically located in the north and south walls, with the south walls receiving more sunlight and therefore, appearing brighter. Consequently, scenes from the Hebrew Bible are often depicted in the windows of the darker north wall, while the New Testament windows bask in sunlight.
“While the Romans violently suppressed the Jewish rebellion in 70 AD, they largely tolerated Jews throughout the rest of the empire,” Calnitsky observes. “It was only after Roman Emperor Constantine adopted Christianity as the official religion of the Roman empire that widespread demonization of Judaism began.”
Calnitsky notes that “for centuries, Christian scholars and theologians perpetuated a distorted view of Judaism as a legalistic religion of “works-righteousness” filled with empty rituals and practices that earned one salvation through a merit-based approach. Christianity, in stark contrast to Judaism, was portrayed as a moral, universalistic religion of grace, love, and forgiveness. Generation after generation, Christian teaching of contempt towards Jews characterized Judaism as the perfect dark background against which Christianity could shine all the more brilliantly.”
He notes that it was only after the Holocaust that Christian theologians began to reconsider their views about Jews and Judaism. Pope John XXIII and the Vatican Council in 1963 began shifting Catholic attitudes towards Jews. However, the true turning point occurred in 1977 with the publication of Paul and Palestinian Judaism by New Testament scholar E.P. Sanders. Calnitsky highlights how Sanders’ research into Jewish scriptures debunked the long-standing misrepresentations of Jews and Judaism by Christians, often without ever engaging with Jewish perspectives.
His own master’s thesis examined Pauline scholarship and Jewish-Christian dialogue, emphasizing the need to read the Apostle Paul within a Jewish context. “Paul did not convert to Christianity, nor was he anti-Jewish,” Calnitsky asserts. “He understood his calling to be turning pagans from their own gods to the god of Israel through Christ; he didn’t believe the Jews needed saving.”
Recently, Calnitsky was invited to present a paper on the Apostle Paul at the annual conference of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies at McGill University. His paper, entitled “The Architecture of the Apostle: Reconstructing Paul,” affirms the position that Paul was not a Christian, and should be understood within the framework of Judaism. Paul had no issues with Jews and Judaism, and his gospel was about messianic salvation for Gentiles and pagans, leaving the Jewish covenant with God intact, with no supersession of Judaism by Christianity and no end of days conversion to Christ.
Despite this evolving attitude among Christian theologians and scholars towards Jews and Judaism, Calnitsky remains cautious, expressing skepticism about whether the persistent scourge of anti-Semitism will ever fully dissipate.
As for architecture, Calnitsky has not lost his love or enthusiasm for his work, stating that “I believe that you should never stop doing what you love.”
Local News
From Broadway to Berney: Winnipeg Jewish Theatre Opens Season with Razor-Sharp Thriller

By MARTIN ZEILIG The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre (WJT) launches its 2025–26 season with a bold and timely production: JOB The Play, a psychological thriller that probes the fragile boundaries between truth, technology, and identity.
Written by Jewish American playwright Max Wolf Friedlich, the play arrives in Winnipeg fresh off its Broadway run, bringing with it a reputation for intellectual grit and emotional intensity.
Running from September 11 to 21 at the Berney Theatre, JOB is a two-hander that unfolds in the aftermath of a viral workplace incident. Jane, a high-strung tech employee, f inds herself on mandatory leave. Her return hinges on therapy sessions with Loyd, a calm but enigmatic practitioner who suspects her job may be more harmful than helpful. What follows is a taut, 80-minute battle of wits and wills—no intermission, no easy answers.
For WJT Artistic Director Dan Petrenko, the decision to open the season with JOB was immediate and instinctive.
“I came across this play as it was finishing its Broadway run, and I was immediately struck by how of-the-moment it feels,” Petrenko said. He and the play’s director, Jack Grinhaus, agreed to an email interview.
“It’s a play about work, technology, and the way we always question truth in this hyper-connected world,” Petrenko continued. “As a Jewish theatre, we are always looking for plays that ask big moral and ethical questions, and JOB does exactly that. It’s sharp, unsettling, and even funny at times.”
The production stars Jada Rifkin and Dov Mickelson, two actors Petrenko describes as “incredible talents.” Mickelson, originally from Edmonton and now based in Toronto, was last seen on a Winnipeg stage in Royal MTC’s Indecent. Rifkin, also Toronto-based, recently performed in The Thanksgiving Play at Mirvish Productions.
“JOB is a two-hander, so the entire play rests on their performances,” Petrenko noted.
“Both bring immense precision and depth to these roles. After seeing them in rehearsal this week, I can already tell this is going to be an electrifying performance.”
Grinhaus is Artistic Director of Calgary’s Vertigo Theatre— Canada’s national theatre of mystery and intrigue. He is no stranger to Winnipeg, having directed a show for Prairie Theatre Exchange just five months ago.
“Feels like I didn’t actually leave,” he joked. “Winnipeg has an incredible theatre community and audience base. It’s an honour and pleasure to be here.”
Grinhaus was immediately drawn to the play’s complexity.
“I was amazed at how both intellectual and visceral the piece was,” he wrote. engagement and offers poetry and honesty without being instructive. It lays out its argument for audiences to puzzle over, asking the questions but leaving the answers for each viewer to determine.”
The emotional and psychological journey of the characters is central to the production’s impact.
“I saw this as a battle for truth between two very opposing perspectives, positions, and generations,” Grinhaus explained. “There’s not one line in it where the characters can agree on a single ‘right’ Jack Grinhaus, Director JOB answer. They are often as right as the moral and ethical positions the audiences bring with them.”
Grinhaus hopes audiences leave the theatre questioning their own relationship with the digital world.
“The digital sphere is a double edged sword,” he said. “The promise of it being a place where the world is united and connected has, somehow, also created one where we are more divided and isolated. The long-term implications of this tech life are still to be figured out.”
Petrenko sees JOB as more than just a provocative opener—it’s a signal of what’s to come.
“There are so many things to be excited about in our upcoming season,” he said. “Beyond JOB, we’re bringing you a range of productions and theatrical events that celebrate Jewish stories while opening doors to broader conversations with the community at large.”
Highlights include a staged reading this fall of local playwright Alex Poch-Goldin’s comedy-drama The Right Road to Pontypool, and the Canadian premiere of Ride The Musical in April 2026. The latter tells the story of Annie Londonderry, the first woman to travel around the world on a bicycle—a Jewish icon whose adventures captivated audiences in London’s West End and San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre.
“I am so thrilled to be bringing this story to our stage,” Petrenko said.
The season will conclude in May 2026 with another family musical rooted in Jewish storytelling—details to be announced soon.
“The best way to get in on all the fun this year is to subscribe to our season,” Petrenko added, noting that special promotion packages are available until September 21.
For Grinhaus, JOB is more than a play—it’s a mirror.
“This is a very theatrical piece of theatre,” he said. “It’s pure theatre, highly engaging and entertaining while also challenging our own views on modern society. Our hope is that audiences are drawn deep into this world and, only once it is done, begin the conversation the story and its themes bring up.”
With JOB, the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre sets the tone for a season of bold storytelling, ethical inquiry, and cultural resonance. From Broadway to Berney, this is theatre that doesn’t just entertain—it interrogates and enlightens.
Local News
New Jewish Heritage centre archivist has travelled an eclectic path

By MYRON LOVE The Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada’s new archivist has come to her position from Rosser, Manitoba, by way of Israel.
Ava Garfinkel – the daughter of Harvey and Lee Garfinkel (and granddaughter of the late Irv and Shirley Garfinkel) – grew up on the family cattle farm just outside Winnipeg. “My family also raises horses and chickens,” she says. “I had a pony when I was little. I did my share of chores growing up.”
After attending rural schools in Rosser and Warren, Garfinkel moved on to the University of Manitoba, where she earned a B.A. in Art History. Her life journey then led he to Israel and Tel Aviv University, where she earned a Masters Degree in Archaeology.
She reports that she worked two summers on a site called Tel Azekah – an ancient community strategically located roughly half way between Jerusalem and Jaffa.
“Two years ago – in 2023 – Israel experienced its hottest summer in decades,” Garfinkel recalls. “The sun was unbearable. I realized that I preferred the paperwork, the research, and the documentation, rather than the digging.”
While Garfinkel says that she loved Israel – and had a job lined up at Tel Aviv University, fate – in the form of the terrorist attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 – intervened. It happened that she was home visiting her family when the attack occurred.
“I also love my family and my life here,” she says. “I found that I missed my family.”
Garfinkel finished her M.A. studies – with a particular emphasis on textiles in the ancient Levant – back in Winnipeg, and took up her new position at the JHCWC at the beginning of May.
“I am doing what I enjoy – preservation and documentation,” she says. “We are preserving Winnipeg’s – and Western Canada’s, Jewish history. “I am learning so much about our community’s rich history and cultural traditions.
“My colleagues and our volunteers are great. There is a lot to do. I couldn’t be happier.”
Local News
Gail Asper takes on new challenge as co-chair of major Hebrew University fundraising campaign

By MYRON LOVE Over the past 35 years Gail Asper has risen to the top ranks among Canadian philanthropists and as the go-to leader for high-profile fundraising campaigns. In her 30s, she notes, she chaired a successful Manitoba Theatre Centre fundraising campaign. In her 40s she was the youngest chair of our city’s annual United Way campaign. In her 50s she served for two years as chair of our Jewish community’s annual Combined Jewish Appeal. And, I am sure that most readers are aware of her herculean effortsbringing to fruition her father’s vision of a world class human rights museum in Winnipeg.
Now in her 60s, Asper has taken on a lead role in another major fundraising campaign – one of international scope – as co-chair of an upcoming Hebrew University campaign, which is set to launch in October.
“My dad (the late Israel Asper – Gail’s role model) always told me,” she recalls, “that when you are asked to do something, while you can’t guarantee success, you do the best you can.”
This year’s campaign will be a particularly significant one for Israel’s oldest and largest university. This year mark’s the Hebrew University’s 100th anniversary – and the Asper family has played a leading role in the university for almost 50 years.
Gail Asper remembers going to Jerusalem – with her father – and family – when she was in her 20s – when Israel Asper would be attending HU annual Board of Governors meetings. “I met the president of the university,” she recounts. “I got to see what the university was doing and got to know the people on the board. There were board members from all over the world, all accomplished and interesting people.. It was so glamourous.”
In 1989, her father – after more than 20 years on the board – told Gail that he was stepping down to spend more time building the still relatively new Canwest business – and suggested that she should replace him as a board member. Not only did she join the board, she also became one of the founding members of the newly formed Canadian Friends of Hebrew University Business and Professional Division, along with other now prominent community members Howard Morry and Murray Palay.
“I remember being on the phone, back in 1993, holding my baby Jonathan in one arm while going through my phone list selling tickets for our gala,” Asper says. “It was good training for being able to manage looking after my family, work and volunteering later in life.”
It wasn’t long after she joined the Hebrew U board that she moved on to join the board executive,” she notes. “We would have meetings in Israel three or four times a year. Thank goodness now for Zoom. But I really enjoyed meeting with fellow board members as well as university management and faculty.”
Asper says that she was really surprised to be asked to chair the new campaign. “Most of the major HU donors are American,” she explains. “I thought that an American chair would be more appropriate than a Canadian,” she says.
She agreed to take on the role, but insisted on having an American co-chair. The individual she chose is a prominent American trial lawyer from Los Angeles by the name of Patty Glaser.
“I have known Patty for years,” Asper reports. “We met through the Hebrew University. She is very well organized and a terrific fundraiser.”
Asper adds that she would also like to recruit an Israeli philanthropist as a third chair. “There are a lot more wealthy Israelis today,” she observes. “I think it is important to get an Israeli more involved. We identified a few prospects and narrowed it down to a HU alumnus who has been very successful.”
Asper officially takes up her new role in October 2025, coinciding with the investiture of the incoming president, Prof. Tamir Sheafer. “We don’t have many details about the 100th anniversary campaign,” she notes. “The target for the last seven-year campaign – which ended in June – was $1 billion. We co-chairs will have discussion with the new president as to our financial goal and how the funds will be distributed.”
One area that Asper suggests will be a focus of the new campaign will be Jewish philanthropists and foundations who had been supporting American and Canadian universities, but who have been told that since October 7, 2023, their donations are no longer welcome. “Others have pulled their donations because of anti-Jewish activity on campuses,” she points out. “We will be suggesting that their donations will be better spent supporting Israel’s leading universities rather than antisemitic universities in Canada and the US.”
She adds that she will be co-ordinating the Canadian contributions to the campaign with CFHU executive director (and former Winnipeg resident – while he was executive director of the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University here) Rami Kleinmann. “In Canada, we always punch above our weight,” Asper notes.
She does admit to be disappointed that the HU’s 100th anniversary celebrations scheduled for last June had to be cancelled because of the war with Iran. “Anita Wortzman (the Asper Foundation’s executive director) and I were already in Israel,” Asper reports. “I had planned to attend every program on campus, meet the donors and scientists and scholars and learn what they are working on.”
She is looking forward to making up for some of what she missed in June with her upcoming visit to Israel in the fall and the kick-off to the campaign.